The New Student's Reference Work/Hood, John Bell

GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD

Hood, John Bell, an American soldier, was born at Owingsville, Ky., June 1, 1831. He graduated from West Point in 1853, and served in the United States army in Texas and elsewhere on the frontier. When the Civil War began, he resigned and entered the Confederate service, in which he rose to the rank of lieutenant-general. He was wounded at Gaines' Mill, Gettysburg and Chickamauga, where he lost a leg. He commanded a corps under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston in the Atlanta campaign, 1864, and succeeded Johnston in command of that army. Compelled to evacuate Atlanta after desperate fighting, he moved on Sherman's communications, fought a losing battle at Franklin, Tenn., but pushed on to Nashville, where he was disastrously defeated by Gen. Geo. H. Thomas on Dec. 16, 1864. At his own request he was then relieved of his command. His book, Advance and Retreat, was printed after his death, which occurred at New Orleans on Aug. 30, 1879.